Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award Recipient
John S. Mayo — 1977
The distinguished career of this outstanding alumnus is marked with significant contributions to the development of electronics. Since joining Bell Laboratories in 1955, he has held several key positions and is now Vice President of Electronics Technology.
He received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State in 1952, 1953, and 1955, respectively.
Notable among his career achievements are his work on the command decoder and switching unit for the Telstar Communications Satellite and his involvement in developing methods for transmitting picturephone signals. As executive of the Ocean Systems Division during 1971-1973, he directed development of electronic systems for use in the ocean. As Executive Director of the Toll Electronic Switching Division during 1973-75, he was responsible for the first electronic system to switch long distance telephone calls. Among his current responsibilities is that of directing the design and development of efficient, low-cost, high reliability electronics components and associated technologies for use in the telecommunications industry. He holds 12 patents and is author of numerous technical papers.
John S. Mayo